Status: 11.11.2021 10:48 p.m.
With a goal party against Liechtenstein, Hansi Flick celebrated his start record as national coach – six wins in a row at the start. For the early decimated guests, things could have been much worse.
The hope of the Liechtensteiners to achieve a similarly honorable result on Thursday evening (11.11.21) in Wolfsburg as in the 0-2 in the first leg when Hansi Flick took office was done pretty quickly – in the end it was said in front of Joachim Löw, which was passed in the stadium before kick-off, 9: 0 (4: 0) for the DFB-Elf.
The scene that initiated the debacle hurt more with every slow motion: Defender Jens Hofer wanted to clear a high ball in his own penalty area, but kicked Leon Goretzka’s neck area with the outstretched studs: To red and penalty from referee Ivana Martinčić there was no alternative.
There followed twelve terrible minutes for the guests. Ilkay Gündogan converted the penalty (11th). Then Daniel Kaufmann put goals two to four with an own goal after a sharp cross from Christian Günter (20th), Leroy Sané after a wonderful combination over Marco Reus and Goretzka (22nd) and Reus after a clever deception by Sané (23rd) after.
Seizures of arrogance from Gündogan
There were brief indications that the record victory of the German national team on July 1, 1912 against Russia (16-0) could be in jeopardy if this number was maintained.
But in the following 20 minutes before the break, a few minor attacks of arrogance crept into the DFB team. Above all, Gündogan, who missed three huge chances far too casually, ensured that Flick looked increasingly angry on the sidelines at what was happening. Sané also had phases in which he missed the ultimate in seriousness.
Two changes at break
During the break, Flick is likely to have demanded more speed in his team’s actions, more consistent walking paths in the depths and pulling to the goal – with the inclusion of debutants Lukas Nmecha and Florian Neuhaus, he underpinned his desire for more determination.
The creation of the 5-0 in the 49th minute should have met the wishes of the national coach: Reus consistently pulled through to the baseline after a blocked shot by Thomas Müller, fit precisely into the back area, where Sané executed through Müller’s legs.
Nmecha meets aluminum
After that, quite a few lengths crept in again, but the Wolfsburg audience still had their fun and celebrated with “La Ola”. No wonder: after all, from the 64th minute onwards, Maximilan Arnold, Ridle Baku and Nmecha, three VfL players were on the pitch.
Nmecha immediately joined in the attacks with vehemence, but had several bad luck, in the 56th minute the post prevented his goal for the national team debut.
Müller hits twice
The ten Liechtensteiners were then increasingly at the end of their tether. Müller on pass from Neuhaus in the 76th minute, Baku with a wonderful flick into the left corner (80th) and again Müller, who was retired by Joachim Löw and reactivated by Flick, screwed the goal party to 8: 0 five minutes before the end .
In the end it would have been almost double-digit – Maximilian Göppel’s own header to make it 9-0 was the end of the goal party.
“Harmonious and great evening”
“You have to put it into perspective because we don’t have any extremely difficult opponents in our group,” said Müller afterwards. “But the people are there and we are also there. You can speak of a harmonious and great evening.”
Source: sportschau.de